ARCHIE BRADLEY’S INSTR. LEAGUE EDUCATION

Oklahoma high school draftee RHP Archie Bradley, taken number-seven overall in the 2011 First Year Player Draft by Arizona, just finished up his instructional league assignment where he threw 15 innings. Bradley, the two-sport star who also excels in football as a quarterback, spoke in detail of the education he got in his instructional league stint to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.

That’s all Arizona needs, another stud pitcher in its system. The Diamondbacks came from out of nowhere to win the NL West this season behind Cy Young candidate RHP Ian Kennedy and RHP Daniel Hudson, both recent acquisitions. But the Diamondbacks also have MLB.com’s number-12 overall prospect in LHP Tyler Skaggs and number-17 in RHP Jarrod Parker, the ninth overall selection of the 2007 draft. This year’s number-three overall draft pick, RHP Trevor Bauer out of UCLA is also in the mix having pitched in A and AA this year.

At least from the pitching standpoint, ‘Zona’s system is starting to look suspiciously like Tampa Bay’s.